The invention relates to a method of operating an optical display device as well as to a data determination unit, an image determination unit as well as to a display system for a vehicle for implementing the method.
Current motor vehicles have different control units which are designed for implementing different vehicle functions. Functions for informing the driver are implemented, for example, in an instrument cluster. Functions for the navigation are carried out by another control unit, such as a head-up unit. Displays for navigation and for informing the driver predominantly take place by means of different optical display devices which are directly assigned to the control units. Driver information, for example, is displayed by means of an instrument cluster, and navigation information is displayed by means of a central vehicle display.
It is an object of the invention to create a method of operating an optical display device as well as a data determination unit, an image determination unit and a display system for a vehicle, which permit an efficient providing of the data necessary for generating images in the vehicle and/or an efficient generating of images.
This object is achieved by the characteristics of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims.
According to a first aspect, the invention is characterized by a method of operating an optical display device of a vehicle. Here a dataset is determined as a function of a specified navigation information, the dataset having a specified metadata structure which is suitable for textually characterizing the navigation information. The dataset is transmitted by way of a specified communication interface. As a function of the dataset received by way of the communication interface, pixel values are determined for at least a portion of pixels of a digital image and/or a graphic element. Furthermore, a signalization signal is determined for signalizing the pixel values of the pixels by means of the optical display device.
This has the advantage that information, particularly the navigation information, for which a signalization signal is normally generated and provided, which graphically and/or pictorially characterizes the information, can be converted to the datasets having the metadata structure. These datasets can be efficiently transmitted and then utilized at a different location for the image generation. Advantageously, this makes it possible to efficiently transmit the information, particularly the navigation information. A transmission bandwidth can be reduced in comparison to a transmission of the navigation information in the form of plot commands. This can contribute to the fact that, despite a limited transmission bandwidth, a display of the navigation information can take place in a qualitatively valuable manner. The image generation can take place in a single processing unit in the vehicle. It is not necessary that images are generated at different locations, i.e. in different processing units of the vehicle, for example, in the head unit and in an instrument cluster, which are subsequently combined in one of the two processing units. It is sufficient for the data required for an image syntheses, also called “rendering”, to be made available to only the one processing unit. The image generation by the one processing unit simplifies a consistent image generation. In particular, in the case of a high-expenditure three-dimensional representation, it becomes possible to determine conclusive and valuable display contents. The metadata structure of the datasets permits an easier and/or more reliable and/or more precise determination of the pixel values, particularly in the case of the high-expenditure three-dimensional representation. The metadata structure of the datasets can contribute to a more precise description of logical operations. In the case of a display with high real-time demands, particularly for a contact-analogous representation with a head-up display, the performance demands on the processing unit implementing the image synthesis are very high. The image generation in only the one processing unit for a contact-analogous head-up display relieves further processing units, for example, the processor in the navigation unit, and permits a display prioritization as a function of the driving situation of all contents in the head-up display in real time.
In an advantageous further development of the first aspect, the navigation information comprises a driving instruction for a vehicle user. This has the advantage that the driving instruction which has a predictive character, can be easily and reliably determined and signaled in real time.
In a further advantageous development of the first aspect, as a function of specified route data and/or specified environment data, a three-dimensional model is determined for a specified environment of the vehicle, and the pixel values for the at least one portion of the pixels of the digital image and/or of the graphic element are determined as a function of the three-dimensional model. This has the advantage that the three-dimensional model can be determined in a very precise and reliable manner, and the pixel values can therefore be determined such that a display of the image and/or of the graphic element can take place that is of a high quality.
In a further advantageous development of the first aspect, the optical display device comprises a head-up display with a specified display field. The pixel values of the graphic elements are determined such, as a function of the dataset and the three-dimensional model, and are displayed on the display field that a viewer of the display field perceives the graphic element from a specified viewing position with a direct reference to the real environment of the vehicle. An embedding and/or superimposing of the graphic element as virtual information in or onto a real environment perceived by the driver makes it possible that a predictive character of the information, particularly of the driving instruction, can be perceived by the vehicle driver in an easy, reliable and comprehensible manner.
According to a second aspect, the invention is characterized by a data determination unit which is designed for determining a dataset as a function of a specified navigation information, the dataset having a specified metadata structure which is suitable for textually characterizing the navigation information. The data determination unit is further designed for sending the dataset by way of a specified communication interface.
In this case, advantageous further developments also apply to the second aspect. Advantageously, the providing of the navigation information by means of the dataset with the metadata structure makes it possible that the data determination unit can be equipped with lower processing power and/or a transmission bandwidth of the communication interface can be kept at a minimum.
According to a third aspect, the invention is characterized by an image determination unit, which can be coupled with respect to signals with an optical display device of the vehicle and which is designed for receiving a specified dataset, which is transmitted by way of a specified communication interface. Furthermore, the image determination unit is designed, as a function of the received dataset, for determining pixel values for at least a portion of the pixels of a digital image and/or of a graphic element and determining a signalization signal for signaling the pixel values of the pixels by means of the optical display device.
It is sufficient that the data required for the image synthesis, particularly the datasets, are made available only to the image determination unit. The image generation by the image determination unit simplifies the consistent image generation.
The image generation for a contact-analogous head-up display requires very high processing power because of the high real-time demand of this display. The image determination unit can be equipped with sufficiently high processing power, which permits the image generation for a contact-analogous head-up display of sufficient quality.
In an advantageous further development of the third aspect, the image determination unit is designed for determining, as a function of specified route data and/or specified environment data, a three-dimensional model for a specified environment of the vehicle. The image determination unit is further designed for determining the pixel values for the at least one portion of the pixels of the digital image and/or of the graphic element as a function of the three-dimensional model.
In a further advantageous development of the third aspect, the optical display device comprises a head-up display having a specified display field, and the image determination unit is designed for determining the pixel values of the graphic element as a function of the dataset and the three-dimensional model and displaying them on the specified display field of the head-up display such that the graphic element is perceived by a viewer of the display field from a specified viewing position with a direct reference to the real environment of the vehicle.
Supplementary advantageous further developments of the first aspect also apply to the third aspect.
According to a fourth aspect, the invention is characterized by a display system for a vehicle which has a data detection unit according to the second aspect. The display system further has an image determination unit according to the third aspect. Furthermore, the display system comprises a specified communication interface which couples the data determination unit and the image determination unit with respect to signals, and at least one optical display device which is coupled with the image determination unit with respect to signals, and which is designed for receiving and for signaling the signalization signal determined by the image determination unit.
In an advantageous further development of the fourth aspect, the optical display device is coupled in a signal-related manner with the image determination unit by way of a specified multimedia interface. This permits an efficient and reliable transmission of the determined signalization signal.
Supplementary advantageous further developments of the first to third aspect here also apply to the fourth aspect.
In the following, embodiments of the invention will be explained by means of the schematic drawings.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Elements of the same construction or function are provided with the same reference numbers with respect to all figures.